Cupids Dreams
by ice-riz
Summary: It's promnight and Sakuno is feeling miserable. And who would help her to get out of it better than her long time crush with a little help of a certain cupid. RyomaSakuno. One shot or Chapter depends on the response.


-1POT is so not belong to me, so don't you dare sue cos I'm broke. This story is to the people who still dreams of true love.

Cupid Dreams

Tokyo, Japan

She believed in dreams but this evening was fast becoming a nightmare. Alone in a small alcove of the crowded gym, Ryuzaki Sakuno watched the crush of senior high school students swarm onto the dance floor for another set. Dripping in gowns and finery, they laughed and danced, flirted and touching, all to the accompaniment of the band.

Anxious jocks fluttered around the females like butterflies in search of the richest nectar. They moved through the crowd, bowing, arguing who would pluck a treasured dance from this year's beauties. Her prom night, yet she had never felt so alone. She might be standing in a lonesome corner, but in her mind she twirled and spun to the music. Beneath the dress she tap to the tune of the band. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was dancing and laughing and smiling, the belle of the night ,the princess she'd always dreamed she'd be, with long line of admirers waiting to dance with her.

The music ceased, the dance ended, and so did her dreaming. She sighed for what she wished would happen and opened her eyes to face sad reality. She wasn't a princess and the belle of the night. She was Ryuzaki Sakuno and she was standing in a corner at her prom night, alone and forgotten.

From nearby a girl's gay laughter rippled into the air. Intrigued Sakuno took a couple of steps out from the shadows, leaving a tall marble statue of Cupid alone in his alcove .Standing next to this icon of romance had done little to improve her situation. The laughter sounded again. She watched tomo-chan wave her hand playfully, skirts in hand, fluttered her eyelashes slightly, then smiled up to her swains, who fought over themselves to offer her a hand up. Tomo-chan denied them all, then rose so smoothly even Sakuno felt the urge to applaud. The man did applaud and argued over who would lead the divine and graceful miss in the next set.

One dance was all she wished for, Just one. As if in answer to her wish, a young dark-blond haired man stepped from the crowd and scanned the room, searching until his gaze stopped on her .His look changed to one of decided interest. Every muscle in her body tensed in anticipation. He slowly, purposefully, strode toward her. Oh, this was it! Her breath caught in her chest and she prayed wouldn't do something shameful like burst into tears or swoon, especially before he reached her.

Beneath her gown she could feel her skin sweating nervous tears of its own. With each step the guy took, sakuno's heart pounded louder in her ears. To dance. Oh, to finally dance! The band sang out a slow song. He was almost there. Not realizing she had even done so. She took a step toward him and stumbled, then felt his hand on her arm as he steadied her. She gazed up into his face and smiled her gratitude.

"Beg pardon," His voice was so welcome a sound after no conversation for two hours. But not half as welcome as he himself was. Still smiling a thank you, she raised her left hand dangling from it a charm bracelet.

"Beg pardon." he repeated

"It was my fault." She said in a nervous rush." I stepped on my hem, It's a bit long, you know. I told my grandma it was too long, but she wouldn't listen, just told me to hush because I chatter too much and to let her handle everything since she knew what she was about" Sakuno took a badly needed breath and raised her hand a little higher. Now standing inches from him, she waited for the question she'd been waiting for all evening.

"Beg pardon, Sanako"

Her smile shined with pure joy. "Oh, I'm not Sanako, I'm Sakuno."

Standing more stiffly, he said "Sakuno." He gave a sharp nod." I need to pass by." His voice was curt.

Pass by? Sakuno looked into his eyes and frowned. He was looking over her shoulder. With a sinking feeling of dread, she followed his avid stare, but instead at Tomo-chan who stood behind her.

Sakuno turned back to him and blurted out, "You want her?" His look turned hard as stone. He hadn't wanted Sakuno. She recovered herself quickly and stepped out of his path.

"Excuse me." Her voice was so quiet she could barely hear it herself. To hide her humiliation, she averted her eyes. She could feel them well with moisture, and in a matter of seconds the small rosettes decorated her hemline looked like nothing more than a pink blur.

The band began a new song with Sakuno still standing there, staring down, taking quivering tight breaths, and searching desperately for the strength to endure this long night completely alone. Perhaps it was best she was alone. She didn't think she could speak to anyone at that moment and not making an utter fool of herself by sobbing uncontrollably on their shoulder.

She took one more deep fortifying breath, then another, and looked up again, her gaze drawn to the dancers on the dance floor, watching them with the same rapt hunger of an orphan watching a family celebrate Christmas. Within seconds, she found herself looking at the blond-haired guy and Tomo-Chan. Their hair caught the golden gleam of the light. There was a magical quality to the way they dance

After a turn Sakuno met Tomo-Chan's gaze, and she fervently wished the floor would just open and swallow her there was pity in her eyes. Pity. Biting her lips, she turned quickly. Needing somewhere to go. She glanced outside, but it was still pouring rain outside. Chin up and shoulders back, she strolled toward the refreshment table with what she hoped was the correct amount of confidence.

"Thirsty, Ryuzaki?"

She gasped. There was only one person who called her "Ryuzaki" with that voice. The sound of it always made her feel as if she had drunk an entire pot of hot chocolate. Warm. Sweet, and a little sinful. She spun around with a whispered

"Ryoma-ge…" And looked up into the face of Echizen Ryoma, the man she had loved as long as she could remember.

He stood under the candlelight, his dark hair tinged with dark green highlights. He picked up a cup of lemonade and held it out to her, She stood there frozen, unaware that her heart was in her eyes.

"Are you going to take this or make me stand here all night?" He raised the cup until it was eye level and looked down at her, amused.

"Oh…thank you," she said in a half croak, then took the cup and raised it to her lips and drank the whole thing in 2 giant gulps. She stared in the empty cup, searching for something brilliant and witty to say.

But before she could open her mouth he held out his hand. His face was unreadable, but he seemed to watch her for the longest time. She just stared at it.

"I believe this dance is mine."

She met his look. It was all she could to not throw herself into his arms and sob her gratitude. For once in the company of Echizen Ryoma, she did the proper thing. She placed her hand in his, and felt a small flutter deep inside her. She let him lead her to the dance floor, praying to God that she wouldn't fall flat on her face and ruin everything.

The music filled her ears. She moved slowly, feeling as if she were in one of her most enchanting dreams. He touched her other hand and she almost cried out, so sharp was her reaction to him. Like one whose heart had just taken wing, every sensation in her young body came instantly alive. The air became tactile, the light as warm as an embrace. Each breath she drew was honey, each note of music the sweetest of sounds.

In less time than it took a tear to fell, she was dancing. With Ryoma. She couldn't will her eyes to look up at him, and she was so nervous she had to concentrate on her steps.

"You miscounted, Ryuzaki."

She stumbled, but he pulled her into a turn, one strong arm keeping her steady. She looked up at him, then, half embarrassed, half thankful, completely besotted, and she whispered, "How did you know?"

He leaned down slightly and whispered into her ear, "Your lips are moving."

She flushed, red and hot, so flustered that she step onto his shoe with her sharp pointed heels. By the time she found her rhythm, he was making such a serious effort not to show his pain. She dipped her head to keep from seeing their smirking faces, and on the next turn her bracelet caught on the button of his coat. Shackled on to his coat, she tried to loosen her bracelet but manage to pop the button from his coat.

She stepped on his foot three times during the remainder of the dance. But at least she didn't fall. Next time she prayed for something, she'd have to be more specific. five minutes after they had started, the music, sadly, stopped. Eyes closed, heart pounding. Too soon, way too soon. She didn't even realize she had been holding her breath until she released it.

In utter silence, he led her from the floor over to Cupid's alcove. She turned, thanked him, then added quietly, "I'm sorry about your foot, Ryoma-ge." He said nothing. His face carried that same look of casual indifference it always wore, and she wondered what he was thinking when he wore it. Vaguely she heard him voice his pleasure before he walked away.

Her gaze locked on his broad back, clad in a dark velvet coat that matched his highlight hair. Even when he had joined a group of guys on the opposite side of the room, she could not will herself to look away. His friends clapped him on the back stood there talking and laughing. Never once did he give her another glance, but she didn't care because he had danced with her.

Her mind in cloud castles, she sagged back against the wall and stared at nothing. If, for the remainder of the night, she never danced again, it wouldn't matter because, Ryoma Echizen, the center of her dreams and the object of her affections for 6 long years, had actually danced with her. At the prom, in front of everyone!

She looked at Cupid, balanced on a pedestal, his arrow drawn. Then she stared down at her hands for the longest time. She took a deep breath. His scent lingered around her. She could still feel the warmth of his hand touching her, still see his face looking down into hers, still hear that chocolate voice. She could still feel the tingle of his grip on her waist as if he had marked her. She looked at her hand, the one his had touched, and wondered if she could ever watch it. Her mind flashed with the impulsive youthful thought that nothing but lemonade would ever touched her lips again. And out of the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw Cupid wink.

Ahhhhhhhhhh. You have no idea how relieved I am to finish this story. My friends have been nagging in my ears when the hell am I going finish my first fiction. A reply to my dear friends ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

Ok guys remember this is my first fic, constructive criticisms are most welcome. Hey I'm not immune to praises you know. They are most welcome (grin). Hope I get lots.

Peace.


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